I was reading a book about an athonite monk, and he said that the devil tempts new monastics with memories of family and friends in the world, which he should try and forget, as he's a new man. BUT, I know a couple of monastics who regularily go and spent time with their family and friends.

I was reading a book about an athonite monk, and he said that the devil tempts new monastics with memories of family and friends in the world, which he should try and forget, as he's a new man. BUT, I know a couple of monastics who regularily go and spent time with their family and friends.

what is the norm for monastics reguarding family and friends?

It depends on the individual monastic and how healthy their relationship is. A family that is unfriendly to monasticism (and might be willing to kidnap the monastic to try to "deprogram" him or her) might not receive much contact. But most of the monastics I have known love to talk to and spend time with their blood families.

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He spoke it as kindly and heartily as could be; as if a man dashed a gallon of cold water in your broth and never doubted you'd like it all the better.

A lot of monastics nowadays seem to like Facebook. It lets them keep up with their family and friends, without having to have time-consuming back-and-forth communication to get the same information.

wow, that's suprising. I guess they don't make themm like they used too . I really wish there was a book of the everyday life of the 21st century monk. I read books about monks on Mt. Athos and Valaam, but it seems monasticism has changed a bit.

I know several monastics online (there are a few that contribute here!), but others don't at all.

I know Fr. Seraphim, igumen at Holy Cross Monastery (ROCOR) in West Virginia does NOT approve of the brotherhood using the internet at all. He touches himself only because he has to (coordinating with monastery guests and such through email).

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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy

I know several monastics online (there are a few that contribute here!), but others don't at all.

I know Fr. Seraphim, igumen at Holy Cross Monastery (ROCOR) in West Virginia does NOT approve of the brotherhood using the internet at all. He touches himself only because he has to (coordinating with monastery guests and such through email).

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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy